


Surprise!

by melchimaus



Series: Precious Secrets [2]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-20
Updated: 2018-04-20
Packaged: 2019-04-25 10:34:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14376849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melchimaus/pseuds/melchimaus
Summary: Nothing ever goes as planned.Written for the 2018 Everlark fic exchange, based on peetaspikelets prompt: "I wish that ball had hit you in the face!"





	Surprise!

“Yikes, poor Effie.”

Katniss turned and scowled at her sister, missing the moment her ball smacked into the pins, toppling them all down. She turned back in time to see the carnage be swept away, a new set dropping down into place. She strode back to the table, glaring at Prim.

“’Poor _Effie_?’ Were you even listening to me?

“I was talking about the pins,” Prim replied, nudging a box of fries to toward her. Katniss munched on one grumpily. “Don’t tell me you weren’t imagining her face on them. Or that they were her bones.” She scrunched her nose at the thought.

Katniss huffed. “I wasn’t imagining anything. I’m not _inspired_ enough to do so.” Although, maybe Effie did have a point. Her most interesting scheme of revenge involved ripping the woman’s fake nails right off her fingers and smashing them to bits with a hammer right in front of her face. Except she’d probably just have them replaced, and be back to tapping on Katniss’ blueprint the next day, questioning for the billionth time if that part of the project was _absolutely_ necessary. Damn it.

She felt a tug on her braid. Prim smirked at her. “I can almost see the smoke coming out of your nostrils.”

“Will you –“ She stopped when Prim raised her eyebrows, and took an exaggerated breath. More calmly, she said, “I thought we weren’t allowed to talk about work during girls’ night.”

Prim shrugged. “You looked angry.” She wiped her hands on a napkin, completely unperturbed by Katniss’ scoff. “I just thought I’d help you blow some steam before Madge – hey, over here!” She waved her hand excitedly, her face splitting a into a grin.

“Everdeens!” a deep voice shouted, and Katniss glared at her sister again.

“ _I_ didn’t invite them,” she said innocently, as her boyfriend, Rory, rounded the table, and gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek. Gale settled in next to them, holding Madge’s hand while she talked to –

“Hey guys!” she greeted. “Hey Kat, you remember Peeta from high school, right?” She nodded towards him, and gestured at the seat on Katniss’ other side.

Katniss gave him a tight smile, then pulled her chair in so he could pass behind her. She reached for another fry, hoping to avoid making conversation. Prim and Rory and made their way to the lane to bowl another round, and Gale had twisted around in his chair to watch them. She had a feeling he wouldn’t respond if he tried to get his attention.

“Ah, I’m sure Katniss had more important things on her mind back then,” Peeta said with a chuckle. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him rub at the back of his neck. If she looked closer, she would’ve noticed the red flush on the tops of his ears, but she didn’t.

“Yeah, we were such nerds,” Madge laughed. She plucked one of Katniss’ fries from in front of her. Katniss didn’t react. “Anyway,” she said, facing Katniss fully now, “Rory and Prim haven’t had a night out in forever, so I thought I’d bring him and Gale along. And bringing Peeta evens out the teams.” Katniss nodded noncommittedly. “I’ve actually been gorging myself on his bakery’s fruit tarts for months now,” she laughed, “so I figured it was time to share him. He actually had plans, but they cancelled on him, so now he’s ours. Isn’t that great?” Another nod. Madge quirked an eyebrow at her. Katniss sipped at her water.

“Right,” Madge drawled. “What would you like to drink, Peeta?”

“Beer,” Gale said suddenly, turning back around. Katniss snorted, and Madge narrowed her eyes at her.

“Uh, iced tea is fine,” Peeta replied, rubbing his neck again. Madge stood to get to drinks, Gale trailing along after her. He glanced between Katniss and Peeta as he passed, and she busied herself with her burger.

Alone, the two of them sat silently, watching as Rory wrapped his arms around Prim, pretending to show her how to properly wind up. They stumbled forward, laughing as the ball headed straight toward the gutter. Peeta huffed a laugh, shaking his head. Katniss closed her eyes, breathing deeply again, letting her muscles soften on the exhale.

“Are you okay?” he asked quietly, when her eyes remained closed.

“I…” she trailed off. She bent her head forward, a corner of her mouth twitching.

“I didn’t plan this,” Peeta said, leaning back in his chair, and sighing. “I didn’t realize –“

“I know,” Katniss replied, biting her lip. She sighed as well, tilting her head back. “It was supposed to be a girls’ night but…” She shrugged.

“Invasion of the boyfriends?”

Katniss watched as Prim jumped on Rory’s back, causing him to drop his ball unceremoniously. He started spinning and she shrieked before muffling her cries in his shoulder. “Yeah,” she said wistfully.

“Katniss –“

“Pizza’s here!”

Rory stopped abruptly, his head jerking in their direction. He started walking towards the group, Prim still on his back.

“We weren’t finished yet!”

“But I’m hungry,” Rory whined, then blushed as he realized his tone.

Prim pinched his cheek, and hopped down. “Fair enough. Peeta?”

“I’ll bowl with him,” Katniss interrupted. Four faces gaped at her. “Make sure your boyfriend doesn’t explode,” she muttered, before walking briskly toward the lane. She felt the others turn confusedly back to each other, but she was sure Gale was just watching her. _Damn it_.

“Are you usually this hostile?” Peeta asked jokingly from behind her, and she jumped. Her grip on the ball loosened, and it landed with a loud thump on Peeta’s foot.

“Katniss!” Prim was immediately out of her chair, rushing towards them. Gale followed, picking up the wayward ball, then extending his arm out towards Peeta. Peeta waved them both off.

“It’s fine,” he said with a laugh. “I – “

“He has a prosthetic,” Katniss finished for him, standing between Peeta and the interlopers. She took the ball back from Gale, and threw it haphazardly toward the pins, knocking a couple down on the left side.

“Still, we should probably look at it, see if you need to get it fixed,” Prim was saying, undeterred. Katniss sensed Gale about to pull her braid before he actually did, and slapped his hand away. He stepped between her and the ball return, anyway. He narrowed his eyes at her playfully.

“And you know about the prosthetic because…”

She opened her mouth to say something sarcastic, but Peeta placed his hand on her shoulder, and she suddenly lost her train of thought. There was an apologetic smile on his face, and his unruly blond hair made him seem almost cherubic. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. She was aware that her friends were gaping at her, but she didn’t care, reaching one hand up to grasp his curls, deepening the kiss. One of Peeta’s hands slid up and off her shoulder, cradling the nape of her neck, while the other arm wrapped itself firmly around her waist.

When they finally broke for air, Gale was still staring them. He gave an exaggerated cough. “Well then…”

Katniss felt Peeta tighten his arms around her. “I wish that ball had hit you in the face!” she hissed at Gale.

Peeta nuzzled her cheek. “No, you don’t,” he said calmly.

Gale succeeded in pulling her braid this time, and she yelped. “We all know _your_ poker face is the worst, Catnip” he chuckled. He turned to give a thumbs-up to Madge, who was watching riveted from her seat. Her worried face immediately shifted into one of excited surprise, and Katniss swore she heard her squeal.

“Are you sure you don’t want to sit down and examine your prosthetic?” Prim butt in.

“Don’t worry about it,” Peeta assured her, rubbing Katniss’ back. Prim stared pointedly at the movement.

“Shut up and eat your pizza,” Katniss said, finally breaking away from the embrace. She shoved Gale, who was still standing there with his arms crossed, and seemed to having a conversation with Madge with their facial expressions.

“Fine,” Prim said curly, tipping her nose in the air in faux annoyance. “Come on, Gale. Let’s give Katniss some time with her _boyfriend_.”

The threatening glare Gale gave Peeta was ruined by his teasing smirk. Peeta just shrugged, and slipped his arms around Katniss, mirroring Prim and Rory from earlier.

“You okay?” he asked. She leaned back into him, placing her hands on top of his.

“Yeah,” she replied. Peeta nuzzled at her neck, and she moved so he could kiss her shoulder. “Just… don’t go overboard about how we met and stuff, okay?”

“Of course not,” he assured her, and gave her waist a squeeze. He let her go to pick up a ball, bending slowly and shifting his hips a little as he pretended to peruse the selection.

“Oh, for God’s sake,” Katniss muttered. Worst girls’ night ever.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I've been toying with the idea of writing a prequel, but inspiration is lacking. I do appreciate your messages though <3
> 
> Come chat with me on tumblr @ sandyeyes :)


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